Quarterly financial reports play a vital role on Wall Street, as they help investors see how a company has performed and what might be coming down the road in the near-term. And out of all of the metrics and results to consider, earnings is one of the most important.

Life and the stock market are both about expectations, and rising above what is expected is often rewarded, while falling short can come with negative consequences. Investors might want to try to capture stronger returns by finding positive earnings surprises.

2 Stocks to Add to Your Watchlist

The Zacks Earnings ESP is more formally known as the Expected Surprise Prediction, and it aims to grab the inside track on the latest analyst estimate revisions ahead of a company's report. The idea is relatively intuitive as a newer projection might be based on more complete information. The ESP is calculated by comparing the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, with the percentage difference between the two giving us the Zacks ESP figure.

Now that we understand what the ESP is and how beneficial it can be, let's dive into a stock that currently fits the bill. BellRing Brands (BRBR) earns a Zacks Rank #2 right now and its Most Accurate Estimate sits at $0.53 a share, just 10 days from its upcoming earnings release on November 18, 2024.

BellRing Brands' Earnings ESP sits at 8.14%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the $0.53 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.49.

BRBR is just one of a large group of Medical stocks with a positive ESP figure. Stryker (SYK) is another qualifying stock you may want to consider.

Stryker is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock, and is getting ready to report earnings on February 4, 2025. SYK's Most Accurate Estimate sits at $3.88 a share 88 days from its next earnings release.

For Stryker, the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.87 is 0.13%.

Because both stocks hold a positive Earnings ESP, BRBR and SYK could potentially post earnings beats in their next reports.

Find Stocks to Buy or Sell Before They're Reported

Use the Zacks Earnings ESP Filter to turn up stocks with the highest probability of positively, or negatively, surprising to buy or sell before they're reported for profitable earnings season trading. Check it out here >>

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BellRing Brands Inc. (BRBR) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Stryker Corporation (SYK) : Free Stock Analysis Report

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